Cricket

Unknown territory for Sam

GOATACRE club captain Sam Parish says that his side are as confident as ever ahead of the new season but admits they are stepping into unknown territory in Premier Two.

Craig Gibbens has led Goatacre to two titles and two successive promotions and they now find themselves in the second-highest tier of the West of England Premier League.

Parish’s side have retained the same personnel that saw comfortably top of the Glos/Wilts Division last summer and the Goatacre wicketkeeper is looking forward to the challenge of their new level.

“It’s very exciting for us because we’d been in the Glos/Wilts before last season, so we knew what we were dealing with but apart from two or three individuals, nobody has played in the Premier Two
before,” said Parish. “In the past, we’ve been told that there’s a big gap between the two leagues but over the last five years, sides have seemed to go up there and hold their own, so we don’t
really know what to expect.

“But success breeds success and confidence breeds confidence, so everybody’s feeling great at the moment and thinks we’ll be able to hold our own.

“We seem to have kept the same side that we had last year and that consistency can really help us.”